GVSU study: Men play sports more than women

ALLENDALE, Mich. (WZZM) -- Men are more interested in playing sports than women -- even in contemporary America -- according to a new study released by Grand Valley State University.

Robert Deaner, a GVSU associate professor in psychology, lead the research which is being published in the online journal PLOS ONE.

The study suggests American men actually play sports three times as often as American women, on average.

"The existence of such a sex difference might seem obvious. However, many scholars, advocacy groups and the United States courts believe the sex difference in sports interest is non-existent, small or rapidly disappearing," says Deaner in a GVSU news release on the study. "This view is based on the fact that women comprise 42% of high school sports participants and 43% of intercollegiate sports participants."

According to the news release on the study, "the sex difference in sports participation reflects a difference in motivation to play because the smaller or non-existent sex difference in exercise shows males more strongly prioritize sports; they don't simply have more time for them. These results support previous questionnaire studies that have consistently shown that females' self-reported desire to participate and excel in sports is lower than males'."